Nah, no burs. I read somewhere that in the south it is best for you to put the hops in a spot that gets some shade in the afternoon because of the heat, but I think I'm going to move it to a spot with more sunlight for next year if I can find one.

Mine are getting plenty of sun, 10 to 12 hours of direct, and the rest shaded or indirect. They are also in an area that my folks had multiple times had grown plums and peaches, so much of it had been dug up and amended through the years. I have noticed that the grass grows faster and thicker in the 100 square foot that my hops are at the center of, than any where else on the property. I think water is more important for our hops in dealing with heat than shade, they love sun, but need moisture to keep from getting burnt. Hope this helps some and good luck. ---Mark F.---

With all that I have going on, I have neglected my hop plants for a while. I can now say watering is very important during the dry spell we are having. Got back to taking the time to give them each about a gallon every couple days. Also took about an hour Friday evening to pick what was ready to pick, not to immature or totally browned out. Dried out to 1.5 ounces of Cascade, and 7/8 ounce of Nugget. ---Mark F.---

Took this picture a couple weeks ago before picking some more cascade.They dried out to 1.6 ounces. Picked nuggets earlier this week and they should be dry now, but have not weighed them yet, they should be between .25 and .5 ounce though. ---Mark F.---

One last look at my hop plants this thanksgiving day. My folks house with its new white metal roof is showing in the background.
Second picture is cuttings from this spring that will be crowns next year.
---Mark F.---

Hey BadDeacon,
My take on hops is,
#1 , Full sun, The hops that will grow here need all the sun they can get.
#2 , Plenty of water, With full sun and hot summer days, a tall skinny plant needs plenty of moisture to keep it hydrated.
#3 , Nutrients, A half dose of miracle grow twice a week will keep them happy.
#4 , Soil , Before planting, amend with plenty of compost, and if your dirt is heavy,(clay), add a good amount of sand in the mix. Also should have decent drainage, not to saturated with water as to cause rot.
#5 , Hope you like Cascade, because that is the best for growing here. It is as compared to other hops as Hercules is to Other mortals.
Hope this helps in getting started, if you have any questions on any of this, I'll do my best to give you a good and prompt answer.
---Mark F.---